RTV # 34 - Make the Invisible -- Visible!

A Year of Raising the Village Week #34: Make the Invisible--Visible!

Have you ever watched a video about “community” where the images stay with you long after the viewing?

Are you someone who promotes the power of social realities being spoken?


Well, watch these clips from The Wildflowers Institute and see what’s stirred for you. You can expect to see people constructing neighbourhood models that express their views so honestly that you are bound to hear some truth ring off the film. You can expect to see perceptions animated through interactive activity. And the real kicker, what you can expect to see is people helping to make the invisible, visible.


The first video in the series piqued RTV’s social radar years ago- http://www.wildflowers.org/bird.html In this clip a youth (Bird) explains his community model and his keys to living. In his own clear and crisp way he imparts his profound advice, “Knowledge doesn’t have a color, nor does it have a skin tone”.

Enough said. Watch. Let us know what you think.

For all video clips and the full report go to: Making Visible the Invisible Power of Community http://www.wildflowers.org/WFmonograph.pdf

We believe in these interactive ways of hearing and building community – check out our Collaboration: Authentic Engagement Workshops for the RTV version. http://www.raisingthevillage.ca/


p.s. (Listen for the above quote from Bird- it’s near the end of the video when he speaks of the importance of listening to elder knowledge).

Village Raising Question #1: Your turn. What’s a video you’ve watched that’s changed the way you’ve looked at community or a video that portrayed a social reality in an honest gripping way? Post your say on our facebook or twitter page.

Village Raising Question #2: What would your community model look like? What about your neighbour?

RTV #25 Creative Give-a-ways!

A Year of Raising the Village
Week 25: Creative Give-a-ways!


There are people in every community that are in need. It might be money, food, safety, opportunity, or friendship. In fact, it would be pretty safe to say that everyone in a community is in need of something!


In terms of charity, most places have people or organizations that help take things from the "giver" and pass them along to the "receiver." It is a system that makes sense and works, with benefits to both those who have something to offer and those who have a need. Undeniably, there are also barriers and challenges to the traditional donation processes. Pride, access and equity are among them.


Our community was a recipient to a very generous donation of little girl blouses. Our issue was that these shirts were so dated (nearing ugly) and there were SO many of them that we resisted just "giving" them away in the traditional sense. The shirts would have been like a uniform for the poor - which was not what was intended!! Instead, we arranged to have them all distributed among child care facilitates as painting smocks. Now all the children's clothes (whether they have a big or small wardrobe selection) are protected during messy play.


We are curious to discover more creative, low barrier ways to get free "stuff" to the people who need it.


Here is an idea from North Carolina that made us smile...


“Sock It To Me” Wed with the Alexander County Partnership for Children
The Partnership for Children received a donation of over 600 pairs of socks including socks for men, women, and children. They advertised for people to bring a bag and pick out and up to seven pairs of free socks per person (socks for a week)! They were available on a first come first serve basis.


How about giving away warm pj's and books at an evening story-time?
What about food to celebrate - not just to fill empty stomachs?
In what ways can you help connect people who can barter?


Have some more???

RTV # 19 - Got Youth?

A year of Raising the Village Week #19. Got Youth?

Picture some of the most important social movements in history-- think 1960's, think Free the Children. Now consider the roles young people played. Chances are they played a biggie. There can be something beautifully un-edited about a young person’s approach to world views. They will say it “like it is” with their own unique evolving perspective and are often willing to challenge or shift the status quo.

With this is mind, we were pumped when asked to present and interact with our local high school’s Social Justice class around the topic of children’s rights and community work. The youth lived up to the "willing to shift the status quo" thinking. They brainstormed ideas around child right’s education kits and discussed how these kits could impact our community. They participated in interactive activities, without so much as a groan (unlike some adults we know). The photo above shows the class in the middle of one of our Raising the Village map exercises. How it works: The blanket lists many different types of “communities” that make up a village while children and families are at the centre. Slowly the village is collapsed with real life situations and non-collaborative re-enactments. In the end, the youth stepped in with their social justice knowledge and gave us ideas of how the village could be stronger (i.e. move in closer, more people take an edge, support one another in times of need etc.). Their responses came out slowly with a laser-like quality to cut through the complexity of community relationships... making it seem simple.

The experience made us stop and think...how many people are engaging with youth - even when the issue at hand seems only to have an in-direct link? How many community building efforts could benefit from their laser-like perspective?

Village Raising Question:

What process do you have (or want) in place for meaningful (not tokenism) youth interactions? What will you do to see this happen?

Oh ... and be sure to check out this resource: http://www.freechild.org/YouthVoice/intro.htm - for a youth voice toolbox and principles for authentic youth engagement.